CONCORD, N.H. - Moose hunters were out in force
for the opening weekend of the 19th annual New Hampshire moose season,
in spite of wind, rain and even snow in the North Country, achieving a
29% success rate on the first two days of the hunt. On Saturday and Sunday
(October 21 and 22), a total of 197 moose were taken by moose hunters
statewide - 123 bulls and 74 cows (female moose). By this same point in
the season last year, a total of 133 moose had been taken (severe weather
slowed hunters down during the 2005 opening weekend).

Moose Project Leader Kristine Rines and other New Hampshire
Fish and Game biologists reported being busier than usual at the Kilkenny
Station in Berlin, N.H. (one of seven check stations around the state)
where hunters checked in a total of 75 moose over the weekend. One successful
moose hunter was a woman who is eight months pregnant (what a story to
tell junior!). A father/son team of hunters from Georgia, experienced
elk hunters, came to New Hampshire optimistically equipped with a freezer
and generator on their truck for getting their moose meat home. They succeeded
during opening weekend, but were dismayed to discover that not even a
quarter of the moose they had taken would fit into the freezer they had
brought.